254 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
several occasions, a short time before sunset, I have watched flocks 
arriving from all directions to this roosting-place, and, when several miles 
away from it, have seen flocks flying towards it. Many of these flocks 
unite on arriving, and spend some time in sailing and wheeling about, as 
if waiting for the arrival of others before alighting in the laurels, which 
they do quite unexpectedly, for when wheeling about they suddenly sweep 
down almost perpendicularly into the wood. After this, when they have 
disappeared from view, the noise they make is so loud that it is heard at 
a distance of several hundred yards, although there is a fall of water close 
by. The noise may be described as a harsh, half-hissing and half- 
whistling sound, and resembles the sound of water rushing through a 
narrow channel; it is kept up until after it is dark, I suppose until they 
have done disputing about the places they are to occupy. The number of 
flocks and the size of many of them make it difficult to conjecture the 
probable number of birds that came to the place each evening, but I think 
there must have been at least from 200,000 to 300,000. An uncle of 
mine, who saw these assemblages oftener than I did, thinks that there were 
1,000,000 ; but the difference in these estimates only tends to show the 
impracticability of arriving at the true number. Ido not know when the 
Starlings began to frequent this wood, but am told it was in October; they 
quitted it in the first week of April. Several authors allude to instances of 
Starlings roosting in immense flocks, as though this practice was an un- 
common one; but I have heard of several similar instances, and believe it is 
the usual habit of Starlings to roost together in great numbers during the 
winter half of the year. Mr. Gould, writing of the Starling, in his ‘ Birds of 
Europe,’ says :—“ They congregate in large flocks in autumn and winter. 
’ On the approach of evening many of these flocks unite, and before going to 
roost this immense body may be seen traversing, with undulating sweeps and 
evolutions, the immediate neighbourhood of their resting-place. They prefer 
for this purpose secluded and warm situations, such as thickly set reed- 
beds, coppices, or plantations of fir." —J. EK. Parmer (Lucan, Co. Dublin). 
CrossBILL Nestinc NEAR Bournemours.—On March 16th a nest of 
the Crossbill was found by some boys in a fir tree on the outskirts of the 
town of Bournemouth. It contained four young birds, one of which 
escaped, one was killed with a stone, and two were brought to the bird- 
stuffer, Mr. Green. Their colour was a dull green with blackish streaks ; 
the mandibles very slightly crossed: the note much the same as that 
_of the old bird. The nest was made of sticks, moss, and wool. — 
G. J. Dumvitte Lees (Woodhill, Oswestry). 
[Many instances are on record of the Crossbill nesting in other parts of 
England, but this is the first occasion, we believe, on which it has been 
known to rear its young in Hampshire. One reason, doubtless, why the 
nest is not more frequently found is that the Crossbill breeds so very early 
— ee a ee 
